Occupant protection systems installed in modern motor vehicles include one or more actuatable protection devices for protecting an occupant. Examples of such protection devices include an air bag, a knee bolster, and a seat belt pretensioner. The protection systems also include one or more sensor devices for sensing vehicle characteristics and/or occupant characteristics. The systems are typically controlled from a central control module.
The air bag modules used in such systems provide targets for thieves because the air bag modules can be removed from the vehicle without special tools, and the air bag modules are relatively expensive components. There is a demand for replacement modules on the open market because the air bag modules are designed as a "use once" component and must be replaced if they are deployed as a result of an accident. Other system components, particularly other "use once" components such as seat belt pretensioners, are theft targets for similar reasons.